Fountain pen



May l5, 1928.

D. J. LA FRANCE FOUNTAIN PEN Filed NOV. 8. 1926 Patented May 15, r1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oF FICE.

DAVID J. LA FRANCE, "OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CABTERS INK COMPANY, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF. MASSA- ,CH'USETTS FOUNTAIN rEN.

Application led November 8, 1926. Slerial No. 146,873.

y The invention relates to an improvement `in fountain pens employing elasticl reservoirs or sacks which are filled with ink first by compressing the reservoir and then allowing it to expand for drawing in the ink by suction created bythe resilience of the reservoir in` assuming its expanded shape, a

presser bar and lever being employed for compressing the lever.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved means for returning the lever to a closed position when open without the *aid of the elastic reservoir and for maintaining the lever in a closed position without the aid of the reservoir, the special object being to provide a simple means involving comparatively slight expense7 at the same time producing an efficient andV reliablel lever control. j

The invention can bestbe seen and understood by reference to l `the drawings in which- Figure 1 shows a sectional view of the fountain pen embodying the invention with the lever closed.

` Fig. 2 shows the same section as Fig. 1 but with the lever open.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged section of the middle portion shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 shows a sectionon the line 5-5 of rFig. 1 looking toward the left.

Fig. 6 is a plan of the fountain pen.

Referring tothe drawings i 1 represents the casing. 2 is the ink reservoir or sack contained within the casing and carried in the usual manner by the penholder 3 which lits onto the end of the casing. 4l is the presser jbararranged within the casing above the reservoir and independent thereof, and 5 is a lever arranged to turn within a slot 6 in the casing for depressing the presser bar and contracting the reservoir.

The presser bar 4 is of a type commonly employed, its opposite longitudinal sides being turned upwardly and inwardly to provide spaced catching edges 7 with which the lever 5 has engagement as will presently be described. The presser bar along its centre is preferably provided with a slightly depressed portion 8 with a shoulder 9 at the end of -such depression. The presser bar is preferably of a length to cover the sack and may if desired bear at its rear end againstv` the interior of the end 10 of the casing,

The lever 5 is preferably of stamped sheet metal having the general form of a small channel bar. The lever is pivotally mounted to turn within the slot 6 in the Casing by means of a wire 1l passed through small holes 12 in the sides of the lever and which wire is containedwithin an annular slot formed in the interior of the casing, such kind of pivotal support for a lever being one commonly employed in the art. More specifically the lever comprises a force arm 13 the end 14 of which slightly overlaps the casing beyond the end of `the slot in it and the casing atthis point is preferably provided with an incision or cut-out 15 by which access is had to the end 14 ofthe lever for turning it. 16 represents the re `sistance or pressure arm of the lever which is the arm which operates, as the force arm of the lever is raised, to depress the presser bar for contracting the reservoir or sack. The arm 16 is provided on its outer `side with an end portion 17 adapted to enter the presser bar between the catching edges 7 thereof with prongs 18 extending outwardly beneath said edges, the arrangement being such that the end of the pressure arm of thel lever will have a loose but constant engagement with the presser bar especially 'so that it will loperate to lift the its depression by the lever. g

With special reference now to the means provided. for holding the lever in a normal closed position and tor restoring it to a closed position without dependence being presser barv yafter `placed upon the elasticity residing inthe reservoir; The means comprises a Nwire spring 19 tensioned against the casing and passing through the force arm of the lever to the right of its` pivotal point or fulcrum as the lever appears in the drawing. 20, 20 represent the ends of this wire which are simply caught under the wall of the casing adjacent the ends of the slot 6 in the casing. The wire passes beneath the force arm 13 of the lever and through the opening 21 in it, thence over the fulcruni and pressure arm 16 of the lever beyond the opening 2l in it with the opposite ends of the Wire tensioned against the easing as aforesaid.

lith the wire thus arranged it will operate on account of its tension to exert force on the l'oree arin of the lever for maintaining the lever in its downturned position as shown in Fig. l. In this connection it will be observed that the wire, even when the lever is in its norinal doivnturned position, is under sonie tension for a substantially straight piece ol' elastic Wire is used 'for the present purpose excepting at points adjacent its ends 20, 9.0', to perniit ol? the extension oi these ends beneath the casing fronr out oil the slot in it as previously described. The wire spring is not o't sulicient tension to prevent the lever being Afreely turned for the purpose of depressing its resistance or pressure arm ior depr 'nu -the presser bar and contractingr the reservoir. Villen this occurs on account of lifting the torce arni of the lever the spring wire will be 'ome further distorted until the lever' has been turned to a full open or upright position as shown in Fig. :2 When by reason ot' its turning it has effected a iull contraction of the reservoir on account of the depression ol the presser bar. Villen the lever has been turned to this position the normal resistance residing in the reservoir to its contraction, on account ol the elasticity of the reservoir, tends to hold the lever in an upright position. As the lever is turned to an upright open position for depressing the presser bar and contracting the reservoir the end 1T of its resistance or pressure arnr 1G will draw along the depressed portion 8 in the presser bar until said end encounters the shoulder of the presser bar which defines the proper upright open position of the lever. ln case the end ot the lever should slip by this edge the lever cannot turn in a counterclockwise direction nniclr beyond its open position ovv-l the reservoir, all within the purposes of the invention lirst referred to.

Having thus fully described my invention, l claiin and desire to secure by Letters Patent olf the United States l. il `fountain pen including in combination a, casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a cinnpressible and sell-expanding inl; reservoir within the casing, a presser bar, a leve* arranged Within the slot in the 'a5- ing, ineans l'or pivotally supporting said lever whereby it inay be turned to engage said presser bar depressing the saine and contracting said reservoir7 said lever havinr an opening through it in its power arm beyond its fuleuin, and a spring tensioned against said casing and passed through the opening in the lever.

2. A. Yfountain pen including in combination a casing havinga longitudinal slot therein, a coinpressible and .selexpanding inl; reservoir within the casing, a presser bar, a lever arranged within the slot in the casing. xneanrs for pivotally supporting the lever whereby it may be turned to engage said presser bar depressing the same and eontiuacting aid reservoir, said lever having an opening through it in its power arrn beyond its fnlcrun'l, and a spring,r tensioned at it,` opposite ends against said casinof and passing beneath the force arin of the lever through the openingnr in it and over the fulernia and pressure arnr olE the lever beyond said opening.

3. A fountain pen including in con1bination a casing; having;V a longitudinal .slot therein, a coinpressible and self-expanding.; inl; reservoir vvithin the casing, a presser bar, a lever arranged within the slot in the casing. means 'for pivotally supporting the lever whereby it inay be turned to engage said presser bar depressing the, saine and contracting said reservoir, said lever having an opening; through it in its power arm beyond its 'l'ulrrunn and a spring,r tensioned at its opposite ends against said casingr and passing beneath the force arni ol" the lever through the opening in it and over the l'ulcruln and pressure arni oi' the lever beyond said opening, that portion ol the lever over which the springr passes beingr `grooved to received the spring.

DAVID J. LA FRANCE.

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